


Through the Ages

by HoshizoraKumo



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 19:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17331188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoshizoraKumo/pseuds/HoshizoraKumo
Summary: Thoughts change as we age...





	Through the Ages

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vityuu (nanahoney)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanahoney/gifts).



Yuri is 10 years old and riding on a scholarship through this conditioning camp to help him reach his peak. Coach Yakov had seen something in the wiry young blonde and immediately decided to invest his time into his training. Yuri excelled with ease, all throughout the beginning but as they began to wind down, it was obvious the young boy was pushing too hard to live up to what was expected.   
The ice was hard, that was sure- Yuri couldn’t help but growl as he hit it, and heard the sniggers of some of his classmates as they watched him.   
“Again Yuri, you almost had it.” Yakov said, his usual barking tone for direction lost to a softer encouragement, as he watched the boy push himself up from the ice.   
It wouldn’t have been so numbing had they not began this lesson touting of Yuri’s ballet skills and using him as a goal point that people should aspire to. Yuri glanced over the gathered class, and decided that from then on, he wouldn’t allow them to see his emotions. He steeled his resolve and then took a short glide to the wall, not aware of the dark eyes that followed him. 

Otabek is 13, and has only been talked into coming to this training camp in order to branch out his skills and abilities. Though it was obvious their ballet lessons were far too straining on his body, as he twisted and writhed to reach all the positions- he pushed on trying to prove to himself and his father that he could do more than what he believed.   
_I will do this!_ Otabek tells himself, as he watches Yuri demonstrate each of their taught moves with a silent and graceful ease. _It can’t possibly be as difficult as I think, if he can do it._  
Yuri was a goal -the angel on the pedestal- that Otabek strived to reach, but continually found himself falling short. Over the course of the camp though, he began to realize that Yuri had so much more to him than just his talents on and off the ice, and if there was one thing that kept Otabek going, it was the chance to catch glimpses of that stoic determination of a soldier at war.

_____

Otabek is 16, and headed to Canada on his own to try and further his skating career by learning new jumps and quads from a Canadian instructor who’d come highly recommended to Otabek’s father.   
He learned of course that skating wasn’t simply about grace and flexibility, but more of a sense of resolve and understanding on how to earn awe from the audience by the way you moved and told the story on the ice.   
Otabek’s biggest problem had always been quad jumps, but with a little help from a rink mate, and his thoughts constantly reminding him of the blonde Russian from camp, he figured it out, and earned his way up through the ranks during competition. 

Yuri is 13, and drawing attention with each competition that he dominated. Newspapers all over Russia sung his praise and soon enough the young skater found himself as the idol of a group of rabid skating fans.   
Each win was simply his way of staying alive with his mother and grandfather- the government was a kind supplier when you were a top athlete, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. Besides, his goal had shifted- It was no longer enough to be the best, he wanted to win and prove himself better than the best, and so he set his eyes on the senior championships and watched Victor Nikiforov closely as he continued to push the boundaries that Yakov set on him.   
Victor had watched with a twinkle of inspiration in his eyes as Yuri claimed title after title, but found himself surprised and delighted when Yuri made his declaration.   
You’ll choreograph a program for my senior debut! He’d demanded childishly, earning a breathy laugh and then a firm nod and handshake from his idol. The deal was done, and that night Yuri dreamt of the podium and an oddly familiar boy on the podium at his side.   
He woke in the morning and rubbed at his eyes thinking on where the boy had been from, and blushed a bit at some of the preposterous thoughts that taunted him by teasing the idea of a crush. 

___

Yuri is 15, and the GPF is on. The pressure is building, and despite his aloof and standoffish attitude, Yuri is terrified but determined to win.   
His fanclub has followed, they’re in the lobby of the skater’s latest home base, and squealing anytime he turns their way. A knot forms in his stomach - is it fear or anger? Who can say?- as he turns and confronts JJ’s cocky attitude, easing the tension a bit as he lets loose a string of obscenities and jeers that are meant to shake JJ but only further serve to prove the Canadian’s teasing.   
Yuri’s ready to give up when JJ’s attention turns to someone he did not initially see. When he turns, he’s confronted with another boy, a bit taller and wearing sunglasses pushed back over his coiffed hair.   
JJ’s inviting him out for dinner, but Yuri is dumbstruck by the way he is being stared at by this stranger who is now pointedly ignoring JJ’s words.   
“What are you staring at, asshole?” Yuri snaps, watching the other remove the glasses and blink calmly before shrugging and leaving. This is new- No one has ever been unperturbed, or calm after Yuri Plisetsky hurls such biting remarks/questions. A memory of a dream hits him, and suddenly the Junior Division champion is left completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words as his cheeks heat up and he stomps off to his room to settle his belongings. 

Otabek is 18, and despite his laying low, the last thing he’d expected from the boy he’d been aspiring to live up to was outright rudeness. He rides the motorcycle through the streets, the engine humming between his legs and allowing his thoughts to dwell on this encounter.   
Perhaps it wasn’t intended as outright rudeness? He thinks to himself, perhaps that is simply how the other deals with unfamiliar people in situations. It’s also highly likely that JJ has something to do with the attitude shift. Even in Canada, many of the rink regulars were always cautiously aware of JJ and his inflated ego. Otabek could only be thankful for the other for having taught him a quad salchow, and befriending him.   
Yes, Otabek concludes, it’s likely Yuri is stressed, and tired from flying to get here, and JJ is only a catalyst for someone with such a short temper. Otabek’s face breaks into a mostly unnoticeable smile, and he rides along in the night to find something for himself to eat. 

___

It’s the day before competitions, and now that practice is over, most of the skaters have gone out for their own interests and are exploring the city. Yuri had declined Victor and Yuuri’s offer to go shopping with them, telling them he’d rather a quiet tour by himself (in much less eloquent terms)   
Of course the downside to not being with others, is Yuri is left open to his fanclub who actively seek to track his every move. It shouldn’t have been a surprise when Yuri heard the telltale squealing of adoration that had his heart suddenly leap into his chest, as he turned and sprinted into the nearest alley. He hid for 3 minutes. 5 minutes. 10 minutes and then the noises picked up again, and he knows he is doomed.   
Then came the sound of a motorbike, and the boy from the night before. Yuri stared in awe, his face heating up again as he is offered a helmet and a hasty escape with the help of the unknown other.   
They ride in silence- mostly because the engine and wind drown the sound of voice as they speed through the city towards Park Guell Municipal Garden. Yuri is astonished at the quiet beauty Barcelona has to offer, and follows Otabek as they chat. When they reach the overlook, Yuri’s curiosity burns too fully and he questions the other bluntly.   
“Why would you talk to a rival?” He says, a slight hesitation as he is not sure what answer he truly expects.   
“I never saw you as a rival.” Otabek tells him with a small shrug. “I always admired you in that training camp of Yakov’s about 5 years back.I thought we were similar.”   
“You were in that class?” Yuri asks with a bit of surprise.   
“Yes, I was one of the older boys in the novice class, but I remember you, and your eyes.”   
Yuri is taken aback again at this statement and presses for more to satiate the curiosity. “My eyes?”   
“The unforgettable eyes of a soldier, admittedly saying that aloud seems sort of silly, but I did always admire your determination- it was as though your eyes spoke all the things you didn’t want to say in front of others.” Otabek tells him with a nod.   
Yuri’s face heats up again and he turns to face the sunset to hide from Otabek. After a few moments, he gives Otabek a quick glance and then sighs.   
“So what now?” he asks him.   
“I don’t know, I thought maybe we could be friends?” Otabek says, barely an ounce of hesitation in his voice. Yuri feels that strange knot in his chest but blinks and nods slowly.   
“I’ve never been asked before, but if you want, it’s always nice to have company that’s not Victor-fucking-Nikiforov.” Yuri snorts.   
Otabek laughed at that, a deep soft rumble that made Yuri’s face heat up further but only turns into a fit of laughs shared with his new friend. 

___  
Otabek is 24, Yuri is 21, and now that Yuri is of age for nightclubs, they are on their way back to Poblenou, the first club Yuri had snuck into to witness Otabek’s DJing skills.   
Yuri is babbling on and on excitedly about finally getting the opportunity to go and party with everyone, and enjoy Otabek’s mixes in the company of other club-goer’s and soak in the ambience of it all. Otabek smiles wide as they make their way to the club, and unloads his entire deck. Yuri’s grown into a wiry, muscled figure that draws Otabek’s attention no matter what, and Yuri never complains when he and Otabek crash into a hug each time they see each other after long practices in their home countries.   
All the time away has given Yuri plenty more time to reflect on things; usually the way he feels when he doesn’t receive Otabek’s messages, or how his excitement grows with the chance to finally video call one another. Yuri only scowls and brushes off Yuuri and Victor’s accusing teases of a crush, though somewhere in the back of his mind, that phrase tickles at his thoughts and he has a harder time silencing the nagging.   
Otabek hasn’t had any doubts about his feelings, as they’ve been with him for a while now. Each time he sees Yuri in person, his feelings grow. Hearing his laugh, the way he says “Otabek” with a more Russian lilt than Kazakh, and the way light catches his golden hair and makes him look angelic- Otabek is absolutely in love with him, and it’s been a long time coming for him to finally say it outright. Why not on his best friend’s 21st birthday? 

The group makes their way in, Otabek waving them toward the VIP section as he makes his way to the booth to set up his kit. Yuri is still too excited to notice the way his best friend stares at him with the smallest of smiles as he walks off.   
The place is packed, almost as if it was advertised that Otabek was pulling off something big tonight. He chuckles to himself and moves to plug in the deck and grab out some of his disks and peripherals as he watches Yuri move away from the group and onto the dance floor. It’s not an ice skating choreography, but the way Yuri moves captures Otabek’s attention as he watches the other move like water amongst the other people in the crowd, and pump his fist excitedly to the music as his hips sway in time with the beat.   
All at once, Otabek knows this is going to be perfect, but his nerves are getting the best of him, despite him taking a deep breath and calming himself every twenty minutes. Yuri’s lost to Otabek’s nerves, but there is an underlying sense of wait, that has Yuri curious. Mila and Sara dance with reckless abandon, but every now and again, Yuri notices how she glances with a knowing smile up at the booth where Otabek’s barely visible behind flashing strobes, and twirling spotlights.   
Despite it all, Yuri is enjoying himself. The warm buzz of alcohol, and the heavy bass centered songs allow him to fully lose himself and he dances, laughs erupting into the cacophony that surrounds him. Then it all freezes- the club has fallen silent as if on cue, and Yuri glances around in confusion.   
“Happy Birthday Yuri, this one’s for you.” Otabek’s voice comes over the club’s PA, just as it cuts away, Yuri turns to see Otabek leaving the booth as “Welcome to the Madness” plays, with Otabek’s brand new remixing adding a dizzying beat that Yuri can’t help but smile at.   
Otabek moves through the crowd easily, the throngs of people parting until he reaches Yuri, and smiles.   
“What are you playing at, Altin?” Yuri asks, giving a mischievous smirk.   
“Just wishing you a Happy Birthday, and I wanted to tell you something.” Otabek says nonchalantly, his voice somehow all Yuri can focus on.   
“Oh? Are you here to tell me I’ve won the lottery for a million dollars or something?” He teases his friend, with a light push. They are not too differing in height anymore, and the push does nothing but make Otabek smile wider.   
“Nope, just that I love you.” he shrugs glancing at Yuri for just a moment.   
Yuri stands in absolute awe, and blinks. “You…”   
Otabek smiles sheepishly. “Yeah, for a while now, but I figured it was time to fess up.” He says.   
Yuri still isn’t sure this real, but he jumps at the opportunity. “I...you too.” He says before he smacks his forehead in an attempt to clear the alcohol haze for just a moment and be completely coherent.   
“I mean, yeah- I love you too.” Yuri says in correction to his previous statement. He isnt watching Otabek, but he feels his face heating up, and when nothing is said Yuri looks up and suddenly, Otabek’s pressed against him, kissing him with the most gentle heat, that Yuri can’t wait to blow into a full blown fire. There’s time for that later, but for now, he relishes the taken opportunity to admit his feelings, and enjoy his best friend’s- _his boyfriend’s,_ \- sweet kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Belated Christmas to the wonderfully patient vityuu!! 
> 
> This took me a lot longer than expected, but I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
